Hooman Henry Rashidi named associate dean for AI in medicine
Hooman Henry Rashidi will join the School of Medicine effective Jan. 1 in the newly created role of associate dean for artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine.
In this capacity, Rashidi will both teach and develop curricula for MD and graduate students on the fundamentals of AI to better prepare them to understand, evaluate, use and develop technologies that will advance their research and improve patient care. He will also serve as professor of pathology, executive vice chair for computational pathology, and founding executive director of the Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE), a collaborative effort of Pitt and UPMC. CPACE will support pathology and laboratory medicine and also be available to complementary disciplines.
Rashidi combines his passion for education and patient care with his unique training in bioinformatics and machine learning to create innovative tools and resources that improve clinical practice, research and education. He joins Pitt from Cleveland Clinic, where he serves as founding director of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute’s Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and vice chair of technology innovation and computational pathology.
Prior to these roles, Rashidi was director of artificial intelligence and professor and vice chair of informatics and computational pathology for UC Davis Medical Center, where he led AI studies that have led to numerous products and filed patents, including the proprietary software Machine Intelligence Learning Optimizer (MILO), whose suite of applications has been licensed to several industry and academic institutions for clinical, quality improvement and educational projects.
A widely known AI expert and educator, Rashidi has earned numerous teaching awards and has created several popular hematology apps. He is also co-founder and senior editor of the online hematology atlas HematologyOutlines.
Dietrich assistant professor Omid Shekari awarded Sculpture Space residency
Omid Shekari, an assistant professor in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, was awarded a two-month residency at the Sculpture Space studio in Utica, New York.
The Iranian multimedia artist who teaches painting in the Department of Studio Arts will be one of six artists from across the nation to spend October and November living near the 5,500-square-foot shared studio. The program emphasizes a collaborative environment, and communal aspects of the residence help foster dialogue, the exchange of ideas, creative experimentation and both personal and professional connections.
In his artworks, Shekari reveals how force and violence determine the rhythms of power structures. His most recent installation — “مخل (Disruptive),” inspired by power dynamics and revolution in his homeland — was on display this summer at the Sculpture Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Shekari’s paintings, drawings and 3D art have also been exhibited at The Drawing Center, Wilmer Jennings Gallery, the New Art Dealers Alliance Art Fair in New York, the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia and Azad Art Gallery in Tehran, Iran.
11 researchers earn support from Competitive Medical Research Fund
The Competitive Medical Research Fund (CMRF) awarded grants to 11 Pitt biomedical researchers. Supported by UPMC, CMRF primarily provides funding for junior independent scientists at Pitt to develop preliminary data, hypotheses and methods for competitive national grant applications.
Over the past five years, the success rate for applications has averaged more than 35%. Standard CMRF awards are $30,000, with potential funding up to $50,000.
Here are the 2024 award recipients:
- Ümit Akbey, assistant professor of structural biology in the School of Medicine
- Yomna Badawi, research assistant professor of neuroscience in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
- Yu-Chih Chen, assistant professor of computational and systems biology in the School of Medicine
- Joseph Church, assistant professor of surgery in the School of Medicine
- Peng Gao, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health in the School of Public Health
- Marcus Malek, assistant professor of surgery in the School of Medicine
- Maya Ragavan, assistant professor of pediatrics in the School of Medicine
- Deepika Vasudevan, assistant professor of cell biology in the School of Medicine
- Hua Zhang, assistant professor of hematology and oncology in the School of Medicine
- Haodi Wu, assistant professor in Pitt Med’s Vascular Medicine Institute
- Hamza Yazdani, research assistant professor of surgery in the School of Medicine
The experience of applying and receiving feedback from CMRF is valuable regardless of funding outcomes. The deadline to apply for the 2025 fiscal year awards is Friday, Jan. 12; funding will be granted July 1.
Shyam Visweswaran appointed to National Institutes of Health study section
Shyam Visweswaran, a biomedical informatics professor and vice chair of clinical informatics in the School of Medicine, began a four-year term as a charter member of the Clinical Informatics and Digital Health (CIDH) Study Section on July 1. The section is part of the Center for Scientific Review of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which has over 250 chartered or recurring study sections.
Members of the study sections — which review most investigator-initiated research applications submitted to the NIH — are chosen for their demonstrated competence and accomplishment in their scientific discipline, as demonstrated by the quality of their research, scientific journal publications and other significant scientific achievements.
Visweswaran’s research focuses on developing, implementing and evaluating high performance clinical decision support systems powered by artificial intelligence. At Pitt, he also directs the Center for Clinical Artificial Intelligence and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s Biomedical Informatics Core.
Jamelle Price chosen as Appalachian Leadership Institute fellow
Jamelle Price, external relations manager for the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, was selected for the Appalachian Leadership Institute Class of 2023-24.
Price — who oversees the institute’s marketing, communications, and external and government relations efforts — is one of 40 fellows who live or work across Appalachia’s 13 states selected for this year’s class. Together, they will undergo a nine-month leadership and economic development training program designed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact.
In the McGowan Institute, Price focuses on strategy development and execution of a comprehensive marketing communications plan to highlight the institute’s research, faculty, students, staff and programs. Jamelle holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and an MBA from Waynesburg University and Master of Science in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University.
2 Pitt people recognized among best in Pittsburgh tech
Two engineers overseeing Pitt research were recognized as among the best in the Pittsburgh tech industry by Technical.ly.
The annual RealLIST Engineers are not only rising stars in their industry but show impressive community leadership and collaboration skills. They’re nominated by their peers, though emails and a public form.
Paola Buitrago is the director of AI and big data for the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, a joint computational research center with Pitt and Carnegie Mellon University. She’s led the artificial intelligence research group for six years, and before that studied machine learning, chemical engineering, and systems and computing engineering at Carnegie Mellon and The University of the Andes in Colombia.
Katrina Knight, assistant professor in the Swanson School of Engineering, also runs the Knight Laboratory, which is using bioengineering to research ways to improve life for women with pelvic floor disorders. Along with her research, Knight (ENGR ’17) directs the Swanson School’s Camp BioE, and is piloting an initiative geared toward getting elementary school children interested in STEM.
Pitt research team earns $3.3 million National Institute on Aging grant for Alzheimer's study
A team of researchers from the School of Medicine and Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biological Sciences received a five-year, $3.3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging.
The three principal investigators — Assistant Professor of Neurobiology Amantha Thathiah and Associate Professors of Biological Sciences Kirill Kiselyov and Andrew VanDemark — will investigate a mitochondrial target and whether it protects cells from the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Although brains with Alzheimer’s show an accumulation of a toxic end-product, lipid peroxidation 4-hydroxynoneal (4HNE), it remains unclear what causes the buildup. These researchers have identified a mitochondrial target — GDAP1 — that data suggests 4HNE must bind to for the maintenance of cellular redox balance and mitochondrial function. Furthermore, the target levels are significantly lower in the prefrontal cortex of Alzheimer’s patients.
Better understanding the relationship between 4HNE and GDAP1, and the effect it has on neuron vulnerability in brains with Alzheimer’s disease, could open an avenue for therapeutic intervention.
2 Pitt gastroenterology professors earn research mentor award
Robert “Rocky” Schoen and Dhiraj Yadav, professors in the School of Medicine, received 2024 Research Mentor Awards from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).
The instructors in Pitt Med’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition were among only 11 selected nationwide as outstanding mentors in their research sections: clinical practice for Schoen and pancreatic disorders for Yadav.
Schoen is a principal investigator on studies related to early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer for the Early Detection Research Network and the Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium. He is also a co-investigator on a study developing a natural language processing tool to more efficiently evaluate and report on colonoscopy quality. In conjunction with that project, Schoen is developing a database of colonoscopy reports from the last 20 years at UPMC hospitals for research studies.
Along with his research interest in pancreatic disease, Yadav developed and co-directs the Enhancing Mentoring to Improve Research in Gastroenterology (EMERGE) program for Pitt’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. He has served as a faculty mentor at the National Pancreas Foundation Annual Fellows Symposium and is a regular speaker, panelist and moderator for AGA, the American Pancreatic Association and PancreasFest.
Pitt’s Dietrich School and College of General Studies honors longtime staff
Staff members from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the College of General Studies were recognized for reaching milestones of five, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years of service to the University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 27.
Adam Leibovich, Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Dean of both units, hosted the celebration at the University Club along with Jessica Hatherill, director of administration for the Dietrich School. Both expressed appreciation for the dedication and excellence of the honorees, some of whom have spent their entire careers at Pitt.
“Over the summer, my dean’s team and I took part in a retreat where we discussed our goals. We talked about our plans for the school and how to translate those hopes into actions,” Leibovich said in his opening remarks. “At the end of the day, it was apparent that the foundation of everything we wanted to do came down to creating a culture at the Dietrich School and CGS that encourages people to succeed.
“We want to be a place where people feel respected and included. Where collaboration and communication are valued, and where new ideas are welcomed. While I don’t expect us to be lucky enough to retain every staff member for 10, 20 or 30 years, I want us to work together to create an environment where everyone can thrive for as long as they choose to stay.”
This year’s honored faculty are listed by years of service below.
5 years
Joseph Begley, engineering technician in Shared Research Support Services
Swagatika Bhattacharya, foundations lab technician in the Department of Biological Sciences
Ricky Campbell, costume shop manager in the Department of Theatre Arts
Meg Caruso, senior academic coordinator in the Social Sciences Division
Derek Fischer, senior director for undergraduate studies and the College of General Studies
Maryellen Gannon, director of operations for undergraduate studies and the College of General Studies
Joni George, administrator for the Pittsburgh Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Center
Antonio Glaze, training and program coordinator for the Dietrich School
Cynthia Graf, department coordinator in the Department of Economics
Santana Lardo, research specialist in the Department of Biological Sciences
Madison MacDonald, neuropsychology research assistant in Pitt’s Brain Aging and Cognitive Health Lab
Laura Nelson, assistant director of the Dietrich School’s Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
Taylor Pipkin, social sciences division events manager
10 years
Shawn Artman, machine shop supervisor in Shared Research Support Services
Sarah Boyko, Department of Psychology
Carol Cawley, academic operations manager in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics
Karen Foley, clinical research nurse in the Department of Psychology
Christie Hay, graduate student administrator
Mary Napoli, director of the Study Lab and the McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success
Matt Schultz, director of admissions for the David C. Frederick Honors College
Amy Wildman, director of data analytics and technology solutions for the Dietrich School
John Willard, director of payroll for the Dietrich School
20 years
Jennifer Crossan, Department of Psychology
Dawna Kasper, sponsored projects administrator for the Dietrich School
Wynn Maloney, academic operations manager in the Social Sciences Division
Lesa Skukan, assistant director of the College in High School program
25 years
Louis Coban, manager of Allegheny Observatory
Jennifer Stapel, associate director of advising in the Department of Psychology
Rich Swiden, facilities in the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology
30 years
Kristin Hopkins, fiscal director in the Humanities Division
Cassandra Kennedy-Carter, office administrator for the Dietrich School and College of General Studies
Lisa Lang, director of executive operations for the Dietrich School
40 years
Susan Crain, director of the Dietrich School’s Office of Student Records
Dave Emala, electronics shop supervisor in Shared Research Support Services
Charles Fleishaker, engineering technician in Shared Research Support Services
Lisa Kubick, director of graduate school admissions for the Dietrich School
Evon Nigro, administrative officer in the Department of Chemistry
50 years
Cathy Barr, graduate administrator for the Department of Biological Sciences
4 Pitt physicians honored by National Pancreas Foundation
Four Pitt researchers were recognized for their research and work with patients by the National Pancreas Foundation at its Pittsburgh Courage for a Cure Gala.
Anna Evans Phillips, assistant professor in Pitt’s School of Medicine, will receive the organization’s Rising Star Award for her research on pain in chronic pancreatitis. Phillips (MED ’10G, ’18G) has previously received the Young Investigator Award and the Young Investigator Grant Award from the American Pancreatic Association.
David Whitcomb will receive the Legacy Award for his lifetime of contributions to pancreas research. Whitcomb, who joined Pitt’s faculty in 1991, is a professor of medicine, cell biology and physiology, and human genetics. He also directs the Center for Genomic Studies and is chief of UPMC’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Dhiraj Yadav, professor of medicine, and Amer Zureikat, professor of surgery, will both receive the Courage in Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Award. A fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association, Yadav is also associate chief of clinic research and academic development for the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Zureikat is Dr. Bernard F. Fisher Chair in the School of Medicine as well as director of surgical oncology for the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
The gala was held Oct. 6 at PNC Park.
Ahmad Tafti wins 2023 Oracle Eureka Award
Ahmad Tafti, assistant professor of health informatics in Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, was named the winner of the 2023 Oracle Eureka Award. One of the company’s Oracle Excellence Awards, the honor recognizes a researcher using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) exploring novel ways to make the world a better place.
Tafti was honored for his work as director of the Pitt Health + Explainable AI (HexAI) Research Laboratory. Pitt HexAI is aiming to assemble a large retrospective data set on total joint arthroplasty (TJA) using medical images, scientific literature and health-related social media. The team is also building advanced AI models to address critical challenges in TJA prognosis, diagnosis and treatment, with a focus on surgeries like total knee and hip replacements.
Along with the recent recognition from Oracle, Tafti has received the 2021 Imaging Informatics Innovator Award from the Society of Imaging Informatics in Medicine, the Mayo Clinic Transform the Practice Award and a NVIDIA GPU Award. He serves as vice chair of the Pittsburgh Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society and works with Pitt’s Center for AI Innovation in Medical Imaging.
Angela Stewart earns $1.3 million research grant from National Science Foundation
Angela Stewart, assistant professor in Pitt’s School of Computing and Information, received nearly $1.3 million in funding from a National Science Foundation Racial Equity in STEM Education award. The grant will support her project, “Black Girls as Creators: An Intersectional Learning Ecosystem Toward Gendered Racial Equity in Artificial Intelligence Education.”
The grant was awarded to Stewart and her collaborators at Arizona State University and the University of Texas Arlington as well as Pittsburgh community partners Assemble and Manchester Youth Development Center.
This project will work with AI creators and Black girls ages 9-14 to expand the range of perspectives and voices in AI technology. The project will include after-school and summer camps for Black girls and the AI creators to design and create AI projects.
The NSF’s Racial Equity in STEM Education program supports research and practice projects that investigate how considerations of racial equity factor into the improvement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and workforce. The total intended award amount for Stewart and team is $1,299,715.
The research scientist in Pitt’s Learning Research and Development Center (LFDC) was also featured in “Black Voices in Computing,” an exhibit that seeks to recognize and uplift the achievements and stories of Black scholars in the field of computing and information. The focal point of the exhibit revolves around Stewart’s voice as she discusses inclusivity and diversity in the tech space, her research values and approach to teaching computing, and the activities that motivate and inspire her. The exhibit is on display in the lobby of the Information Sciences Building, 135 N Bellefield Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213.
Learn more about Stewart’s research and see her speak about equity and engagement in the LRDC’s Learning Sciences Video Series below.
Deborah Moon receives CDC new investigator award
Deborah Moon, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, received a Mentored Research Scientist Career Development award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study the effects of a community-based maltreatment prevention program for parents.
The study, which is titled Connected through Coaching for Flourishing Families, is a collaboration with researchers from the Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University. Based on a randomized controlled trial, the researchers will examine how coaching for parents might impact family protective outcomes. The program, called the Family Success Network, is being pilot in three rural Ohio counties.
With a secondary appointment in the Department of Psychiatry, Moon’s research focuses on developing, adapting, implementing and evaluating interventions designed to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and promote mental health among marginalized families in under-resourced communities.
Former Teaching Center head Golden wins EDUCAUSE award
Cynthia Golden, former executive director of the University Center for Teaching and Learning, has been honored with the 2023 Leadership Award by EDUCAUSE, for her “extraordinary stewardship in the face of unprecedented challenges, her exemplary leadership in the use of educational technology, her deep understanding of the full range of issues in higher education IT management, and her extensive record of service to the higher education technology community.”
EDUCAUSE, where Golden had worked for eight years before coming to Pitt in 2009, is a nonprofit association working to advance “the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education,” according to its website.
Golden stepped down as associate provost and executive director of the Teaching Center last summer, but still serves as an advisor to the center. She had been at the forefront of the University’s rapid shift to remote teaching and learning during the coronavirus pandemic, during a time when Pitt was in the process of switching to a new learning management system.
She came to Pitt as leader of the Center for Instructional Development and Distance Education, and in 2017, led the rebranding, reorganization and relaunch of the University Center for Teaching and Learning to offer enhanced support for teaching at Pitt.
Read more about the award on the EDUCAUSE website.
Melissa Catanese wins creative development award from Heinz Endowments
Melissa Catanese, teaching associate professor in the Department of Studio Arts, received a 2023 Investing in Creative Development Awards from The Heinz Endowments.
Catanese uses photographs to build narratives in the form of artist’s books and wall installations. The $20,000 award will fund her project inspired by the classic Shirley Jackson short story, “The Lottery.”
The 15 Pittsburgh artists and organizations who received grants, totaling $296,450, were selected from nearly 90 applicants by a group of 11 regional and national artists and educators. The awardees represent a diverse range of artistic disciplines, including filmmaking, music, theater and 3D-printed sculpture.
Rosemary Capo joins AGU LANDInG Academy’s newest cohort
Rosemary Capo, associate professor in the Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences, has joined the second-ever cohort of the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Leadership Academy and Network for Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences (LANDInG) Academy.
AGU LANDInG Academy is a two-year, cohort-based professional development program for current and aspiring diversity, equity and inclusion leaders in the Earth and space sciences. Fellows from the 2021-2023 cohort reported benefits like a deeper understanding of DEI science, networking with DEI scholars and building a community of support for their own leadership.
An assistant dean for graduate studies and academic integrity officer for the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Capo has over 25 years of experience in the analysis of natural and produced waters and mineral, soil, and environmental samples, including four years as a postdoctoral researcher and research scientist at the California Institute of Technology and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Cristina Murray-Krezan to chair PCORI Clinical Trials Advisory Panel
Cristina Murray-Krezan, associate professor of medicine and clinical and translational science, was selected by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) board of governors as chair of the organization’s Clinical Trials Advisory Panel.
The panel advises those conducting research through the PCORI Methodology Committee on the selection, research design, implementation, and technical issues of clinical trials for patient-centered outcomes. Murray-Krezan has served on the committee for three years and served as co-chair in 2022-23.
Murray-Krezan joined Pitt in 2021 as co-director of the Center for Clinical Trials and Data Coordination and associate director for clinical trials in the Center for Research on Health Care Data Center.
In addition to her new role as chair, Murray-Krezan serves on two committees for the Society for Clinical Trials and is a longtime member of both the American Statistical Association and the International Biometric Society. In 2016, she co-founded the University of New Mexico Statistics and Data Coordinating Center and served as its director until 2021.
Leonora Anyango earns Harvard University’s Derek Bok Public Service Award
Leonora Anyango, a faculty fellow in the David C. Frederick Honors College, received the Derek Bok Public Service Award from Harvard University, where she graduated with a Master of Liberal Arts in May.
The coveted award for undergraduate and master’s graduates at Harvard recognizes creative initiatives in community service or long-standing records of civic achievement. Anyango was honored for mentoring college students, working with refugees and other international students in Pittsburgh, and financing education for blind youth in Kenya.
An expert in language, culture and education, Anyango (EDUC ’06G) earned PhDs in education and English composition from Pitt and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, respectively. Along with her Frederick Honors College position, she teaches composition and professional courses in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
Patricia Corby joins Health Sciences in new associate vice chancellor for clinical trials role
Patricia Corby joined Pitt Health Sciences in the newly created role of associate vice chancellor for clinical trials development and operations. Corby also holds a primary appointment as professor of radiation oncology in the School of Medicine and a secondary appointment as professor of periodontics and preventive dentistry in the School of Dental Medicine, where she also serves as a senior advisor for clinical and translational research.
In collaboration with leadership across the University and regionally, Corby will cultivate dynamic and synergistic relationships between and among clinicians, faculty, researchers, industry partners and others to establish and maximize discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship across Pitt’s six schools of the health sciences.
Corby (MED ’05G) returns to Pitt — she served as she served as assistant professor in the Department of Dental Public Health at Pitt’s School of Dental Medicine from 1998-2001 — from Penn Dental Medicine, where her roles included associate professor of oral medicine and associate dean of translational research. There she also directed the Center for Clinical and Translational Research, where she spearheaded a significant expansion of its clinical and translational extramural support.
Prior to joining Penn, Corby served several years at New York University (NYU) as associate professor of periodontics and implants at the College of Dentistry and associate professor of radiation oncology and population health at the School of Medicine. She also led the Center for Large Scale Clinical Studies for NYU Langone Health and worked to support investigators conducting clinical trials within and outside the university.
Corby earned her MS in biomedical informatics from Pitt Med and completed her postdoctoral training in molecular biology and microbial genetics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Her research focuses on the value of integrating medical and dental services in different health care and public health settings to prevent systemic complications in populations with unmet oral health needs and associated chronic diseases.
Edouard Machery awarded $260,000 from the John Templeton Foundation
Edouard Machery, director of Pitt’s Center for Philosophy of Science, was awarded a grant for $260,000 from the John Templeton Foundation.
Starting in December, the distinguished professor will use the funding for his project titled Philosophical Traditions and Epistemic Values. Machery, whose research centers on the philosophical issues raised by cognitive science and neuroscience, has received several other grants from the John Templeton Foundation, including $3 million in 2018.
For that Geography of Philosophy project, which was completed in 2021, Machery led a team of dozens of researchers in ten countries to assess whether the concepts of knowledge, wisdom and understanding had the same meaning across cultural contexts.